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Saturday, October 30, 2010

Liverpool's players will wear poppies on their shirts next month after pledging to join the Premier League's commemorations for Remembrance Day. The Reds will don the emblem on kits for the first time in their history in the games leading up to November 11 when the nation falls silent to remember the sacrifices made by the armed forces during conflict, particularly the First and Second World Wars. Last year the Reds were accused in some quarters of lacking sensitivity to the occasion after not to sporting a poppy on their kits despite a ceremonial poppy being placed in the centre circle at Anfield before the game with Birmingham City on November 9. A minute's silence was impeccably observed whilst Liverpool also donated their players' shirts to the Royal British Legion to auction for the Poppy Appeal but their refusal to wear the symbol on kits prompted debate over the level of respect being shown by the club to fallen troops. However this year the club has joined 16 other current members of the Premier League in agreeing to display poppies on their kits but Manchester United, the other club to not wear one last season, have yet to decide whether they will follow suit. Newly-promoted Blackpool and United's local rivals Manchester City both wore the poppy last season but have been unable to confirm whether they will repeat their gesture this year.